14 DAY TRIAL // A new tool from Microsoft helps customers stuck on Windows XP or Windows Vista make the jump to the latest iteration of Windows, even though applications in their environments require a pre-Windows 7 operating system.
The Redmond company is currently inviting testers to take P2V Migration for Software Assurance Beta out for a spin.
The Beta bits for the automated physical-to-virtual migration tool are live on Microsoft Connect, and early adopters can grab the release and start testing immediately.
“Help unblock OS deployments by redelivering blocking users' old Windows environments, applications and browsers seamlessly in Windows 7 using automated physical-to-virtual migration,” reveals Microsoft’s Graham Watkins.
According to the software giant, P2V Migration for Software Assurance is designed to leverage both the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit and Sysinternals Disk2VHD.
In this regard, the tool is capable of converting an existing Windows XP or Windows Vista client environment into a virtual hard disk.
In addition, the resource can be used to automate the delivery of an updated and personalized Windows 7 operating system.
Obviously, the old Windows OS, now virtualized is included into the Windows 7 deployment as a virtual machine. This ensures that users get not only the new Windows 7 platform, but also the old Windows operating system complete with their applications and web browser.
“The user's previous virtual desktop retains its existing management components, domain membership and policies. The process also publishes applications and the browser for the user to access them seamlessly within Windows 7's start menu,” Watkins stated.
P2V Migration works really well to unblock Windows 7 deployments in a few scenarios enumerated by Watkins in which users are blocking migration to the new OS because of:
“•Compatibility of specialized, region or user-specific applications, browser customizations or USB device drivers.
•Missing installation files or media to install applications or drivers for testing or redelivery.
•Critical users who cannot risk losing any functionality of their current desktop environments and require a working backup before moving to Windows 7.”
Essentially, with P2V Migration, businesses can migrate to Windows 7 while ensuring that users still have their old desktops available.
There are however some limitations to P2V Migration. First off, as the official label of the tool implies, P2V Migration is designed for customers with Software Assurance agreements.
In addition, the “physical-to-virtual hard drive migration of a Windows installation is a valid operation for customers with full retail copies of Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7,” Watkins explained.
“Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7 installed by Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) using OEM versions of these products may not be transferred to a virtual hard drive in accordance with Microsoft licensing terms,” Watkins added.